Season Has Ended... Cold Weekend....

We went over to the boat end of September, it was cold as you will notice with the ICE crystals on the dock. We went there to clean and get boat ready for the Haul out Week of 10/25/14, it's the end of the season and well it's been a different year to say the least. The Water level is up almost 24" and well it's very cold water, Lake Michigan is 47* which is 6* colder then the last year same time. It's going to be a very rough winter indeed.

Ice Crystals on the Dock, a little slippery for sure...

Most boats were hauled out already, we're last in first out , we like it that way...
And oh as for the log....a full 24" under water so much it's hard to see through the lens..

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Long cold Winter is Coming...

Well that's what they are saying, worst then last year, colder then last year, more snow then last year.... Hello.. so How do you define worse then last year, because that's all Better then last year.
We need the snow, for the Great lakes, we need Cold weather to Kill off all the frickin bugs, see it just keeps getting better doesn't it.It's coming soon....Real Soon.

There Yeah go.....

Coming to the End of Summer 2014

This First pic, is the LOG depth in the spring of 2014, water was up 12" Well Fall is here, winter is just around the corner, We're back from our Labor Day trip to Montana, October 15th is lift out to the Garage Day....only about two more trips to the boat and it's Snow time....UHG!!!!
Heres the LOG in Springtime...

I'll post after this weekend, with the LOG DEPTH, it's GONE.. it's totally under water by 24", Lake Michigan is up over 24" some will say NO way, but now we have to climb up into our boat, not step down a long way,, the next pics will show you want I mean. Until then, have a great week,

Now here's the Log now in October of 2014 it's buried under 2' of water.

you can faintly see the log, they were Iphone pics so NOT good quality.. I'll take my Cannon with me this next coming weekend.

Labor Day 2014 Trip

Recently went on a 5 day trip to Montana, Big Sky Country, Holy Cow it was amazing, I've put the pics and story on the 2014 Trips and Travels Page,Check it out on the side bar... you won't be disappointed.....

Check out this Amazing view.... Camera cannot do it justice at all.

Vacation in Ludington Michigan

Took as scheduled and ducted into Ludington on our way to Frankfort for the evening. And never left Ludington..... Wind waves and Weather kept us here for three days, so we made the best of it , hell Ice Cream every night who can complain about that!!!!!we,be walked about 10 miles a day and have visited every store there is to be seen on foot. And breakfast at House of Flavors .... What a treat. Our Decision to Duck into Ludington turned out to be the Smartest decision of the week, Being in Frankfort would have been a rough stay considering their Surge they have into the Harbor....
Pics of Ludington and some Heavy Fog... the Storm...

 Fog was thick and the Winds were howling

But Thursday afternoon, things started looking up with the Weather, that's when NOAA started talking about a severe storm.. coming right at us packing 70 MPH winds and damaging Hail.. I decided to tie the lines tight against the wall in Harbor View.....Fenders everywhere and preparing for some wind... Well we got it, Hard horizontal rain and 6-8 foot waves.. in Lake Michigan, Lines held tight.... Heres a pic of theunset after the storm.
                         

We returned on Friday the 4th to Ellenwood and the Sun was beaming and waves were small.

At Last the Blue waters of Lake Michigan.

Finished with the Ludington Craft show via auto... and fireworks in Montague.... Great times.

Vacation begins Friday June 27th.....Yeah....

We're Heading North via Lake Michigan, Expect to go all the way to Elk Rapids, possibly farther only time will Tell. We are hoping to reach Frankfort on Saturday or Sunday spending a few days there in town, it's a great town to walk and enjoy some eateries....I'm going to be updating this blog after our vacation, Bye Now.

Memorial Day At Ellenwood...2014

It's Here already Memorial Day, the Weather is supposed to be chilly...64,65 and maybe 67 degrees, with rain for the Holiday event....Not Cool...after coming off of the worst winter in 50 years here in Michigan. We arrived late Thursday night, chilly evening at 11:00pm, but got things together and headed to bed...
Friday Morning we awoke to a gloriuos morning not a cloud in the sky and getting warmer by the minute...Must get up and get moving for provisions on the boat...Ahh No Food but great Coffee.

Three of the best things in life is what I had there with me...1 My wife...2 good weather and 3 18" or more water above last years.

.Here's proof water is over the log by at least 12" last year it s even to the top of the logs edge. This Log is my water depth gauge...it's great. Look at all that water OVER that Log...

And Last Weather .... Look at that sky it's Flawless for sure, it's about 70 degrees and wonderful here at White River Light house.

We stopped our Hike to the end of the Pier for a Few Pics.. having fun along the way is what its all about.....Isn't it?

 We Waited for the Sunset of a lifetime, it comes around every weekend for us...Lake Michigan Sunsets....

We ended up Not leaving the dock this weekend, like others around us we didn't get our tabs and "The Sheriff" was patrolling the marina waiting for boats to take to the water with out the proper tabs.... NO Thanks....wow I am getting wiser, I actually decided it wasn't worth it...
Pictured here, Gracie isn't happy with us, she's not leaving the boat this time for a walk...it shows in her face....We had a great weekend, came home and got some much needed yard work done....

Ambiances Buff and Wax job this winter, Was a great success..She looks great, after We washed her down again..Looking forward to a Great Summer and lot's of fun....

The Second Time around POND...And Everything CHICKEN!!!!!!!!!

The pond is finished, it took a full year from RE-Start to finish, but it's done now and boy it looks nice,
We've built the chicken coupe now, Maryanne has bought a chicken for each of the grand kids, yup Chickens.... we gunna have lots of EGGS and it's going to be great to have fresh Farm Eggs...

Too finish the pod, I had to put the last of the waterfall together, rocks on the top and now we will plant flowers and finish off the landscape.

We had to completely rebuild, from two Grand baby boys, Names withheld, threw rocks into it, ripping the liner, it was 6 years old... time for a new one, so we took it apart stone by stone and then dug it bigger and deeper, these boulder were moved one by one by  our own hands.

And Now!!!! IT's CHICKEN TIME!!!!!! All things CHICKEN!!!!

Take a look and You'll see, the coupe is awesome, no pics of the coupe though...hahahah Maybe later it's raining outside heavily right now, here is Maryanne and the DOGMOTHER Gracie looking at the chicks. Gracie really like to look at them ,problem is... she is always licking her lips...this is pic of first brooder.

I have some pics of the Grand kids at the Chicken store, but lost a whole Session due to I didn't put the card back in the Camera....

I lost pics of JJ and Criffer.....Not too happy about that....I'll get them the next time they are over to the Farm...House hahahaha Why doesn't the camera have a small amount of memory inside it...anyway??

This is a very current pic 05/07/2014 8:55pm so are the rest of the CHICKEN series...

Their New home is in our HOME OFFICE in a very Large Automotive container...it works great.

I will post more pics soon of Everything Chicken.... I have to get some chicken wire across that lid, hense the wood frame, they are going to fly out by the weekend...holy crap..
Enjoying her Chics purching on her hands, she's bonding with them for a few minutes.....

Splash date Scheduled!!!!!

Spring is Here, and the Date has been set, April 15-16 is our Splash date and there's still Ice in the Marina. We went over to see Ambiance this weekend, her Bottom is all painted and looking good, she's getting buffed and Waxed this week and Next. Can't wait to get that boat in the water, but it's going to be really cold for the first month in that water. Lake Michigan has a lot of ice on it, but the Ice Flow is moving South into waters....We are Extremely Excited to Splash, can't wait Spring fever so Bad, Can't wait to start the Garden, Not to mention Mow the lawn with the New Zero turn.....It's here, Ambiance is going to be splashed on the 15th...yeahhh

Lake Michigan, also is clearing quickly....

The LOG, Depth Gauge of Water Levels.

                                               And Our Summer home, Slip 168...

Mouth of the Hamlin River and Lake Michigan...........

Spring is just around the Corner.....Yummy Salmon in these Waters!!!

The New Year.... 2014

Well the Winter has arrived, Hasn't it? With Wonderful Ice Trees and Artic Air, now called Winter VORTEX??? What's up with that?? Started the New Year with at Great trip up North booked by My Wonderful Wife, and I get sick with Strep Throat 1st day into it, boy do I feel like I let her down....But We're going to go on more Mini Trips this year, Long Weekends until the Summer gets here, then I'd love to take her on a two week vacation up in Northern Michigan on the boat... Shhh Don't tell her..
Were looking at Heading to Montana in August... Heading for the Mountains, may go up into Alberta Canada, which is very near the Hotel We'd like to stay in... Can't wait for that trip... Fly out there for a Week, go Hiking..Canoeing...Maybe even Take An AEV Jeep up into the Mountains... yeah Glacier National Park Here's Just 1 View....Breath Taking...just a couple of Sneak Peaks for you,
 Glacier Park.......










 As i said in the beginning of this post, winter is on.. Spot On to be exact, 18 Inches of Snow in My world on the Farm... -16 degrees temps from the VORTEX....I feel like I should make that word Echo or something.. hahahah Here's my Back yard, Front Yard and well just an amazing Ice Storm....From God...

Ok enough with the scenery, on to Cookie day... at the Chapman Farm....Yeahh

Grama C cookin them cookies and havin Fun with all the Grands...

Many more pics to upload, I have to find pics of the cookies....The Cook G babies.... I know I've got them some where....to Be continued...